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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26122594">Stevie Never Helps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/agoodpersonrose/pseuds/agoodpersonrose'>agoodpersonrose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Schitt's Creek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anxious David Rose, Awkward Flirting, Episode: s03e12 Friends &amp; Family, Fluff, M/M, Making Up, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:21:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26122594</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/agoodpersonrose/pseuds/agoodpersonrose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With the Opening Night looming, David is feeling a little more tightly wound than usual. He and Patrick navigate their first falling out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Patrick Brewer/David Rose, Stevie Budd &amp; David Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stevie Never Helps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The whole mess first started when Stevie walked into the half-prepared store a week before opening night. David had been running a little tightly wound coming up to the event, but luckily Patrick had been incredibly talented at pulling him back off the ledge. </p><p>In contrast, his own best friend was a monster from another planet, come only to make David’s life harder. It just happened that this time, she decided to do so in front of Patrick; David’s new business manager and friend. </p><p>David had been fluttering around, straightening products on the shelves and simultaneously calling out suggestions (not commands) to Patrick to write down in preparation for the opening event, when Stevie slipped through the door and watched with interest. </p><p>“Wow, I have not seen you like this in a very long time,” she announces, smirking, and making both men jump. </p><p>“How the hell did you--?” David looks up at the bell which should have rung when she entered but re-focuses the conversation before he can get too distracted. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I came to watch the show that is David Rose, of course. Front row seats.”</p><p>“So funny,” David bristles, turning his back on her to continue organising the display of candles in the back corner. </p><p>“Hi Stevie.”</p><p>“Good afternoon, Patrick. How’s the patient?”</p><p>David can hear Patrick snorting lightly and screws up his face to stop him from physically reacting. “We’re just preparing for the opening event, lots to sort out before then.”</p><p>“Mm, I can imagine. I’ve not seen David so stressed out since he first arrived here. We ended up having to take him to the doctor-- Well. The vet technically.”</p><p>When David turns around, Patrick is staring at him with humour etched on his face. He tries to ignore the blush on his cheeks and waves the empty cardboard box in his face. “I’m going to get more of these.”</p><p>Unfortunately, from the back room he can somehow hear the conversation even better. </p><p>“Did he have to sit on the vet table?”</p><p>“Oh yeah, major fussing about whatever clothes he was wearing that day, it was a whole thing. I don’t think he complained that much considering Ted was the vet however. In fact, I’m pretty sure he had some fantasies filled at that visit,” Stevie muses. </p><p>Patrick is suspiciously silent at this, and David leans closer to the curtain to try and hear more.</p><p>“How bad does it have to get before I take him to the vet myself?” Patrick asks teasingly after a moment. </p><p>“Honestly, it’s your call. One of the first symptoms is probably doing something out of character, so let me know if he starts actually working hard, or something equally insane.”</p><p>David clenches his jaw as he re-enters the shop floor with the box of candles. “That’s really funny, Stevie, but you’re actually distracting the only other person that works here and leaving me to do all the work. So, if you don’t mind.”</p><p>Stevie frowns, clearly surprised by his genuinely frustrated response to her teasing and holds her hands up in surrender, vacating the store with one final concerned look over her shoulder. </p><p>David goes back to re-organising the display, but it isn’t long before Patrick chimes up again.</p><p>“David? Are you not going to keep going with the opening event suggestions?”</p><p>“Nope, I am not talking to you, because we are no longer friends,” David replies, without looking over his shoulder.</p><p>“David--” Patrick tries, but he’s laughing too hard to really sound apologetic. </p><p>“You know what, I know it’s funny, I know I’ve been privileged in the past, but I am actually working really hard on this store and I want it to be a success. So, I don’t appreciate the implication that--” he freezes when something touches his arm lightly, and turns to see Patrick standing just behind him, a gentle smile on his face. </p><p>“David, I know how hard you’ve been working for this store better than anyone. Stevie was just teasing and I don’t know her that well, but I’ve kind of gathered that that is her way of showing affection.”</p><p>“What about you?” David bristles. “I assume making fun of people who are genuinely going through a lot right now is your way of showing affection?”</p><p>Patrick smiles his closed-lipped smile, down-turned at the corners with twinkling eyes. “Would you forgive me if I said yes?”</p><p>“M- Maybe. I don’t know, you were very rude,” David says, looking away. </p><p>“I’m sorry David. I didn’t mean to stress you out more, I thought Stevie’s presence might help.”</p><p>“It’s probably better that you learn now that Stevie never helps.”</p><p>“Understood,” Patrick says, smiling again. His arms are open before David knows how to react, and before he can respond he’s being pulled into a tight hug, his arms around Patrick’s shoulders and head buried in his neck. </p><p>David takes a deep breath, the familiar scent of Patrick’s woody cologne filling his senses, and for just a moment, he feels the stress draining out of his body as he relaxes into the embrace. Instead of the friendly claps on the back David had been expecting, Patrick is rubbing patterns against the expanse of his sweater in a reassuring way, pulling him closer the more David calms down. </p><p>He’s not sure who pulls back first, but soon enough they withdraw, and stand awkwardly in front of each other. David coughs and looks at the floor, while Patrick continues to rub his hands up and down his shoulders now as if not quite ready to pull away. </p><p>“David,” he says, his voice an octave deeper than usual. “I promise you, everything about this opening is going to be fine. Regardless of what happens I will still be here afterwards and we’ll pick up the pieces, but I swear, it’s going to be a big success. All your hard work is going to pay off.”</p><p>David smiles, and for once in his life, he believes it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought!!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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